Born in Newberry, South Carolina on August 21, 1933, Marlene O'Bryant-Seabrook calls herself "an educator who quilts". In 1975, Seabrook became the first African American and second women to join The Citadel as full time faculty and in 2009 she was one of the forty-four fiber artists chosen to participate in an exhibition to honor president Obama's first inauguration. Her quilt entitled "They Paved the Way" and many others she has created are featured in national and international publications and exhibits. A third generation educator, in this interview, she asserts that growing up among teachers left a indelible mark on her which guided her career choices and shaped her attitude towards life's challenges. "If I'm prepared to do something, then the rest of it does not make any difference. It never occurred to me that my being black or female should have stopped me from doing something." Seabrook attended Avery Normal Institute and then pursued higher education at South Carolina State, The Citadel, and finally the University of South Carolina where she completed her Ph.D. During her tenure at The Citadel, she was treated with respect. However,she taught mostly graduate students and only after a year of employment she was allowed to work with cadets, which she did in a very limited fashion. After leaving The Citadel in 1980, she returned to Charleston County Public School System where she worked until she retired "from employment but not from work."
The former mayor of Charleston reflects on the first seven months of his retirement and indicates that he is satisfied with the decision not to seek re-election. He also comments on recent protests in cities across the country regarding the use of excessive force by police departments. The bulk of the interview focuses on the events related to Hurricane Hugo in September 1989 and his leadership of the recovery efforts. He discusses the challenge of alerting residents to the coming danger and the need to evacuate without triggering panic. He remembers the evening of the storm, hunkered down in City Hall with key staff. Riley stressed to Police Chief Reuben Greenberg that there should be no looting in the aftermath of the storm. He also discusses key events during the recovery. He concludes with memories of his only Oval Office meeting with President Ronald Reagan, who showed little interest in the discussion of low income housing.
Riley discusses his efforts at revitalizing downtown through the development of the Charleston Place hotel and Waterfront Park. He faced strong opposition to Charleston Place (originally Charleston Center) from preservationists and local merchants, including Maier Hyman. One opponent nearly landed a blow at the conclusion of a city council meeting. Riley also describes the negotiations that took place to acquire properties between Meeting and King Streets and to relocate tenants, including the Washington Light Infantry. The city received critical financial support for King St. revitalization from the US Economic Development Association and the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
The former mayor of Charleston discusses the troubled origins of the Spoleto Festival - Charleston's performing arts festival that began in 1977. The Charleston events are the US counterpart to the "Festival of Two Worlds" in Spoleto, Italy. Riley recounts the early financial and leadership struggles that led to the departure of festival chairman, Hugh Lane. He also discusses his working relationship with Spoleto's founder, the Italian composer Gian Carlo Menotti. During an especially lean year, Riley provided personal funds to keep the festival afloat. Riley also recalls taking some pride in his nickname "Little Black Joe" or "LBJ." Detractors dubbed him LBJ to suggest that he was pandering to the African American community for votes. He concludes with some reflections on police reform early in his tenure. Police Chief John Conroy worked to rid the police force of "thumpers," or those officers prone to violence.
Charleston's long-time mayor discusses policing, comparing chiefs Reuben Greenberg (1982-2005) and his successor, Gregory G. Mullen (2006-present). Riley reflects on the physical and mental health issues that led to Greenberg's retirement. He also recounts the racially charged fights that marred the Sertoma Classic football games in 1977. Riley offers remembrances of civil rights leader Septima P. Clark.
Riley discusses his close ties to Hillary and Bill Clinton. Riley discusses meeting and supporting Bill Clinton during his presidential campaign. Clinton returned the favor and assisted Riley to keep the federal courthouse downtown. Riley also discusses his discovery and enthusiasm for Barack Obama. Riley explains his support for Obama over Hillary Clinton in 2008. He asserts that he has maintained a positive relationship to the Clintons despite opposing the administration's decision to close the Charleston Navy Base. He acknowledges that the campaign to keep the base open distracted him from his campaign for governor in 1994.
The former Charleston mayor discusses the impact of Hurricane Hugo (1989) on the region. He spotlights the emotional toll that it took on area residents and rejects suggestions that the storm benefited Charleston. Hugo elevated Riley's public profile, but he declined to run in the 1990 governor's race. The recovery led to tensions with Federal Emergency Management Authority and Republican officials. Riley expressed gratitude for Senator Ernest Hollings' outspoken criticisms of FEMA. Riley observes that FEMA is more proactive and professional as a result of their failures in 1989.
Riley describes his close relationship with the Carter administration. He discusses receiving a surprise Sunday evening phone call from President Carter and the president's visit to Charleston. Riley also explains how his close ties to the administration aided in the annexation of the Citadel mall into the city of Charleston in 1980.
Newspaper printed for the civilian employees of the Charleston Naval Shipyard starting on January 19th 1962. This volume covers from January 19th 1962 to December 21st 1962.
Newspaper printed for the civilian employees of the Charleston Naval Shipyard starting on January 17th 1958. This volume covers from January 17th 1958 to December 19th 1958.
Newspaper printed for the civilian employees of the Charleston Naval Shipyard starting on January 6th 1961. This volume covers from January 6th 1961 to December 29rd 1961.
Newspaper printed for the civilian employees of the Charleston Naval Shipyard starting on January 8th 1960. This volume covers from January 8th 1960 to December 23rd 1960.
Newspaper printed for the civilian employees of the Charleston Naval Shipyard starting on January 8th 1954. This volume covers from January 8th 1954 to December 23rd 1954.
This is a Sandy Island plantation journal written inside of The South Carolina and Georgia Almanac for the year 1792. The plantation journal documents the planting of crops (rice, corns, and potatoes), the maintenance of ditches and drains, slave records, complications with the hiring of an overseer, livestock, and business relations with Laurel Hill Plantation.
A set of annual reports of the the Fire Department from 1859-1872. Reports missing for years 1862-1865. The annual reports open with a statement from the Fire Chief and include multiple lists of department expenses, financial cost of fires, the cause of the fires, and locations of city property pertaining to the fire department.
Newspaper printed for the civilian employees of the Charleston Navy Yard, starting on January 5th 1945. This volume covers from January 5th 1945 to December 1st 1945.
Newspaper printed for the civilian employees of the Charleston Navy Yard, starting on July 31st 1943. This volume covers from July 31st 1943 to December 31st 1943.
Newspaper printed for the civilian employees of the Charleston Navy Yard, starting on January 7th 1944. This volume covers from January 7th 1944 to December 29th 1944.
Newspaper printed for the civilian employees of the Charleston Naval Shipyard starting on January 16th 1948. This volume covers from January 16th 1948 to December 31st 1948.
Newspaper printed for the civilian employees of the Charleston Naval Shipyard starting on January 14th 1949. This volume covers from January 14th 1949 to December 9th 1949.
Newspaper printed for the civilian employees of the Charleston Naval Shipyard starting on January 2nd 1947. This volume covers from January 2nd 1947 to December 23rd 1947.
Newspaper printed for the civilian employees of the Charleston Naval Shipyard starting on January 5th 1951. This volume covers from January 5th 1951 to December 28th 1951.
The Mouzon Plat Book surveys lands held by various individuals and families in Craven County [now in parts of Berkeley, Charleston, Georgetown, and Williamsburg counties], Colleton County and Berkeley County in South Carolina. Plats are drawn in pencil and ink. Book includes an index at the beginning and at the end are two pages of accounts and also lands to be resurveyed for the estate of Henry Mouzon Jr.
The Roslin Plantation journal, kept by Archibald Simpson Johnston, documented enslaved people and slave labor on an antebellum plantation for two years (1813-1815). The journal documents correspondence, equipment, planting and harvesting, livestock, slaves and supplies related to the plantation. There are detailed descriptions of tasks and number of enslaved people working each task, particularly tasks regarding growing cotton and rice and maintainining those fields.
A program about the services for the reopening of St. Matthew's Evangelical Lutheran Church, with Paster H.B. Schaeffer on Sunday, December 6th, 1925. The eighty-fifth anniversary of the organization of the congregation dated from December 3, 1840 to December 6, 1925.
Church Constitution of St. Matthew's Lutheran Congregation in Charleston, SC, translated from the original German into English. Originally published in 1859. This revised edition was printed in 1876.
Church Constitution of St. Matthew's Lutheran Congregation in Charleston, SC, in German. Originally published in 1859. This revised edition was printed in 1876.
1850-1859, 1870-1879, 1860-1869, 1840-1849, 1830-1839, and 1820-1829
Description:
This is the plantation register by Mathurin Guerin Gibbs (1788-1849) for Rice Hope Plantation (January 1, 1824 to December 1844) and Jericho Plantation (December 1844 to 1875). Gibbs, a lawyer before becoming a planter, used the first several pages of the manuscript dating January 1824 to May 1829 for summarizing legal cases. The plantation register primarily documents daily labor activities on the plantation including cultivation and harvesting of staple crops such as corn, cotton (Sea Island Cotton and Santee black seed cotton), rice and potatoes, livestock, and building fences. Gibbes also writes about the use and management of slave labor, the movement of enslaved people between the plantation and Charleston, and selling and purchasing of enslaved people. Slave names are included in portions of the register. Gibbs notes throughout the register the struggles he encounters as a planter including being unable to pay the mortgage of Rice Hope Plantation and the property going into foreclosure. Most of the entries at the end of the register are regarding slave births, slave deaths and distribution of blankets. Gibbs died in 1849 and the management of the plantation was carried out by his son.
Historic Charleston Foundation's, "An Architectural Guide to Charleston, South Carolina, 1700-1900,' written in manuscript form by Albert Simons, F. A. I. A., and W. H. Johnson, compiled by Historic Charleston Foundation, discussing structures from the Colonial Period (1700-1775), Post Revolutionary Period (1782-1820), Ante-Bellum Period (1820-1860), and Post Civil War Period (1865-1900).
A cash book for Robert F.W. Allston for the years 1823-1843. The book includes account transactions conducted by Allston including payment of overseer wages, the hiring out of enslaved people, transportation, taxes, governesses, nurses, crops, sundries, and cloth distributed to slaves. This book also includes accounts between Allston and other individuals including the Estate of Charlotte A. Allston (primarily for the purchases of blankets, shoes, and cloth for enslaved people) and an account with Mary P. Jones. The last several pages of the book contain cash ledgers. Allston explicitly notes accounting related to Matanza Plantation, later known as Chicora Wood. Other account records do not explicitly state plantation sites.
Ten-page proposal for a new zoning district to be used in Ansonborough, the Commercial-Transitional, or CT, District. This proposed district would serve to support commercial development while protecting adjacent residential development.
Cashbook kept by Isaac Harby containing information for parents with children enrolled at Harby's Academy in Charleston, South Carolina. The cashbook includes notes on tuition fees and general expenses of the institution. The book tracks tuition and supply costs for students, and also mentions when students left the school.
This is a Sandy Island plantation journal written inside of a South Carolina and Georgia almanac for the year 1798. The plantation journal documents the planting of crops (rice, corn and potatoes), runaway slaves (including women and children), business relations with Laurel Hill Plantation, the hiring of Mrs. Taylor's bricklayers, illness, the weather, calculations, and the receipt of cypress planks from Plowden Weston.
This is a Sandy Island plantation journal written inside of the South Carolina and Georgia Almanac for the year 1797. The plantation journal documents the planting of crops (rice, corn and potatoes), slave records (including runaway slaves), accounts, the weather, and business relations with Laurel Hill Plantation.
Typescript of a script to a theatrical work written by Eugene C. Hunt entitled, "A Journey In Faith and Courage. The Story of the Coming Street Y.W.C.A." The story takes place in Charleston, South Carolina around 1910.
League of Women Voters of Charleston County's local government act document entitled, "Home Rule In South Carolina," drafted by Richard L. Black. The document explains the legislation package popularly known as the "Home Rule Act" which indends to grant political subdivisions decision-making power in local affairs.
The City of Charleston's 1931 city planning report by Morris Knowles, Inc. The report contains demographic information regarding school districts, playgrounds, and parks with recommendations for school redistricting and locations for new parks and playgrounds. School and park information is racially divided between white and African American sections. The report also includes suggestions for a thoroughfare and other street changes.
Records chiefly consist of membership rolls for volunteer fire companies of Charleston (S.C.) including the Eagle Fire Engine Company, the Charleston Fire Engine Co., the Vigilant Fire Engine Co., Marion Fire Co., Aetna Fire Co., Washington Fire Co., Hope Fire Co., Charleston Fire Company of Axemen, Palmetto Fire Co., German Fire Co., and the Phoenix Fire Company. Also included is a printed blank form that certifies the bearer is an active firefighter and therefore exempt from Confederate military service. Printed on the certificate are two images of fire engines.
Meeting minutes volume kept by the Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim Board of Trustees, 1916-1928. The entries in this volume concern all discussions regarding synagogue business, finances, memberships. The minutes also discuss supporting troops during World War I, as well as correspondences and meetings with the Union of American Hebrew Congregations, and preparations for the 100th Anniversary of the Reform Judaism in America.
